My Name Is Anita Muller
by FromPrussiaWithLove
Summary: Anita Muller, Jake Muller's mother and Albert Wesker's lover, left a bigger impact on the world than she could ever imagine. Follows side-by-side with "Why Power Is A Must."
1. Chapter 1

**My Name Is Anita Muller.**

**Summary:** Anita Muller, Jake Muller's mother, Albert Wesker's lover, left a bigger impact on the world than she could ever imagine. Follows side-by-side with "Why Power Is A Must."

**Chapter 1.**

I exit my apartment to be confronted by another woman. She screams at me, presents her wedding ring, and slaps me on the cheek. She is a daily occurrence; well, not her, but just married women in general. It's not my fault that their husbands desire companionship with someone like me. However, it is sickening to hear men compare me to their wives without a single thought about who will pay the price in society's eyes: me. I didn't choose this life, but what's the point of saying that now? Exactly, there is no point; no one will listen. I get paid to listen, never talk; give, never take; love, never be loved. I am a commodity. Five hundred dollars and you get me for the hour.

I walk towards the brick facade of my work place. A man is standing outside the building staring at the door. I wonder what his intentions are, but I am already late as it is. Anya will kill me if I keep coming in so late. My arm brushes the man's, but I hope no incident starts because of it. The cold air of Edonia is vacuumed out of the air by the warmth of the interior of the building. Anya sits at her desk, smoking as usual.

"I wish you would stop coming in late." She states in an irritated mood.

"I wish you would stop smoking." I reply carelessly, but I instantly regret it.

"Remember who _owns_ you, whore." Her eyes cut into mine.

"Sorry, ma'am." I look at the floor. I am not my own. I wander through the halls with the slightest thought: 'who is that man outside, and why was he just standing there?' I open the black door with a brass plate embossed with a rose. It leads to a lounge sort of area, where we all wait for clients. My only friend, Kai, sits upon the soft leather couch. She has always been extremely beautiful; as an artist working to pay for her emotional medium, she has a magic touch with make up and complementary colors with outfits and pigments. Her hair is unnaturally a soft red. "Good morning, Kai."

"Morning, Anita, did she give you shit for being late again?" Kai asks nonchalantly as she drinks a bottle of water.

"Yes, but it was all my fault, so I deserved it." I sit on the couch next to her. "You look nice today; are you seeing Axel?"

"Maybe," she smiles happily. "I know that he's supposed to be a horrible terrorist and all that, but he's not bad. He's nice and has a kind heart and pretends that the Edonian Liberation Army is just something he does for shits and giggles." She frowns a bit. "But what do I know? I'm a whore."

"No, Axel must really like you because all his subordinates say he's really mean all the time, and if he's nice to you, then he must really care. And you're not a whore; you're too pretty to be one." Axel is the head of the Edonian Liberation Army, carries a violent reputation, and is a major client for Kai.

"He stills pays me."

"So? Ulrich pays me, and he brings me out to dinner and listens to me play piano."

"You're missing the point, Anita; to men, we're play things. Once we break or get boring, they get new ones." Kai hisses as she pushes herself off of the couch and walks out of the lounge. I don't believe that all men are like that, maybe some but not all. Besides, Ulrich taught me piano, and that's not bad, right? No, it's quite wonderful actually.

–i–

Anya opens the door and demands all brunettes. I guess that means me too, so along with five of the other girls, I walk out of the lounge into the dimly lit lobby to become part of a selection, like a piece of meat. The man is the same one that was outside when I arrived. He is tall, fit, and young, a tourist if I ever saw one. Jana is first in line, and she is probably the most requested. She smiles at the tourist and tries to reel him in, along with his wallet. Karin is next to Jana; she is beautiful but due to her attitude, tends to rack up less profit than any of us. I could continue on and on about each individual, but I would rather not. My gaze slips down to my feet, and my mind wanders to what piece I will be playing for Ulrich today. He likes Beethoven, but I guess that's an archetypal assumption for any classical audiophile.

"Her," the man finally responds. His voice is strong with the faintest hint of a British accent; it is very unique in the ratio of accent in his voice. I prepare to walk away back to the lounge, but Anya catches me off guard.

"Anita?"Anya does not care to hide her surprise.

"Yes," he confirms without a doubt; I've never really dealt with the tourists.

"Five hundred per hour and fifty for every bruise and cut I find on her afterward." Anya only cares about the profit, so the rougher the man the better.

"Careful with our things are we?" The man makes eye contact with me as his eyebrow arches to complement his humor.

"I can't have you men ruining my selection. I'd have nothing left then!" Anya would prefer men to play rough and couldn't care less for our well being. I take the young man by the hand and lead him down a hallway into my designated room. It is a light blue with accentuated trim here and there on the edges of pillow cases and bed sheets, nothing too fancy. H e walks into the room and admires the theme of the room in silence, as I close the door and lock it for privacy.

My lips find his, and he is a passionate man, passionate for another woman. You can see her in his eyes. His name is Albert. Unlike most tourists, he is respectable and isn't looking for sex. He sits on the bed, holding his head in his hands. "I feel like I am losing my mind." He whispers, and I hold him in my embrace. It's just a part of the job. Everyone knows that a prostitute is supposed to service his or her clients, but no one really knows what that service truly is. Some say that it's a physical service, but I think that it's a mental service as well. We listen and tend to men's desires, no matter how sad or sickening. We do as we're told; we are the most obedient people you may ever meet.

My name is Anita Muller, and I exist to make other people happy.

**A/N:** This goes alongside "Why Power Is A Must" and, clearly, shows Anita's perspective. I find it easier to explain certain events with Anita rather than Jake or Wesker. There are other little things strewn about this series too, like Axel, Jake's friend and boss figure. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it, and it's open for criticism from whomever deems fit to write a review.

~FromPrussiaWithLove


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

"I am sorry; am I keeping you from something?" Albert asks as he catches me eying the clock.

"No, it's nothing." He smiles politely.

"Well, it is fairly late, and I must go anyway. Thank you very much for the company." He places seven-hundred and fifty dollars on the bed.

"It's only five –"

"The difference is for you to keep." He waves as he leaves the room. I'll just keep this, and if he ever comes back, it will be only two hundred and fifty dollars. I don't feel right taking this amount of money from anyone for myself. The door opens, and I expect it to be Albert to reclaim his money. But it's Ulrich. A smile pulls at my lips.

"Hello," I greet as he walks up. He offers his hand to me as I stand up. "How are you?"

"You're late." He states sourly.

"I'm sorry; I guess I just lost track of time." He eyes the money on the bed.

"Who?"

"Confidential," I place a finger over my lips to remind him.

"Right, so let's get going." He motions towards the door.

–ii–

Ulrich has an absolutely beautiful home, and its centerpiece is his piano. He is a retired, music professor from America. He taught me piano, and I taught him how to speak German. It's a fair trade. I sit on the piano bench, and he takes his seat next to me. My hands lightly run over the keys. His hand rests on my waist. My fingers apply force to the keys, and a wonderful sound resonates throughout the room. My hands run over the keys, striking here and there to create a beautiful yet captivating song, his favorite: Moonlight Sonata. He kisses my neck, momentarily hindering my concentration.

"It's wonderful," he whispers in my ear. "However, _you_ are brilliant." A blush creeps over my face. I know what comes next. The compliments go away, and the job must be finished. He stands up and suggests the bedroom, like I have a choice to opt out. He takes me by the hand and leads me in a kind manner, one more step towards completing his unsatisfied desire. A long time ago, I realized that the only way to accept this life is to pretend that it isn't yours or kid yourself into believing that you actually like it. Ulrich is kind though in his own disposition, but how can you associate kind with a man paying to have a nice time? You can't. They often say that it's easier if you close your eyes, but I would prefer to keep them open because when I close my eyes I see the man that threw me into this life.

–ii–

His name was Thomas Gottschalk, and he was a man of science, astronomy to be specific. His parents despised his scientific fascination and thought it to be useless heresy. He was alluring, and I was the fool who got pulled in on his line. He was a year older, and I thought, 'perhaps this is love.' I could never be _so_ wrong. We used to sneak out together to sit in the open field a short ways from town and stare at the stars. He thought that they were the most perfected beings in this universe; perhaps he was right. He told me that stars are born and die, just like people, and he romanticized the burning balls of gas in space. I didn't care; it was a break of the monotony of my life.

Then I fell; he told me he loved me and swore to the stars themselves that we would be together for the rest of our lives. I was naïve and dumb. He promised all of these things that never amounted to anything, and he manipulated for what he wanted. He promised that we would be married, and he took away my virginity without a thought of how important that could have been to me. I was a disgrace to my parents, sleeping with a man who was never to be my husband, but I thought that it would show them that I was in love with a different man than who they wanted me to marry. It was my own rebellion. They could care less what it was and disowned me, and I thought I would be okay because I still had Thomas.

But I was wrong. I had no one. He loved his stars. That was made very clear when he had a loss of capital. He said he loved me, even though he was scheming behind my back. I was nothing but a commodity to him. I was his play-thing, and he was bored with me. He struck up a deal with a woman named Madam Anya and sold me to her without a single hesitation, and he kept promising that he loved me and would come back. That was two years ago, and he never came back and never will. I was deceived and blinded.

–ii–

"Hello," Albert waves.

"Good evening," I reach towards the drawer and procure his two hundred and fifty dollars. "This is yours; I can't possibly take it."

"Then let me take you to dinner." He insists.

"I could never ask that of you." He sits next to me.

"I will not take back the money unless you go out to dinner with me."

"Promise that it won't be something expensive?"

"I cannot." He smiles.

"Fine," I place the money in his hand, and he helps me up with the other. I mentally check what I am currently wearing, a white dress with a black sash and a black cardigan.

"You look beautiful." He holds my hand as I slip on a pair of shoes.

"Thank you." I can feel my face burn. He and I walk out of the building – despite Anya's disappointment – and out into the street onto the sidewalk. There is a slight chill, but it's the warmest it will ever get in Edonia. We walk in awkward silence. "So what's it like in America?"

"Busy," he thinks a little more on that single word statement. "Busy, yet boring. How would you describe Edonia?"

"Upside down, the government can't control the country, and even when it does, it makes it harder for all its citizens. Rebel groups like the Edonian Liberation Army appear and try to correct the government, but I don't believe it's that easy to fix an entire country, especially when the government paints them as anarchists and terrorists."

"Interesting," he tries to piece together a kind statement. "I think that this country needs an intervention."

"That would be greatly appreciated." I smile a bit, and he smiles as well. We stop in front of a restaurant that I've only heard of through Kai. She says that she comes here with Axel, and it's quite expensive. He holds the door open for me, and I haven't been met with this sort of mannerism in a long time. It's nice. In the warmth of the restaurant, I look around to acquire knowledge of the restaurant's 'environment.' I spot Kai with Axel, and she waves.

"Would you like to sit with your friend over there?" He asks, and I feel like a child. I blush a bit but nod my head; perhaps this would feel less awkward if Kai were around. We walk over to the table, and Axel has a kind smile on his face, unlike his usual demeanor. Albert pulls out a chair for me, and once again, his mannerisms catch me by surprise. He holds out his hand towards Axel. "Wesker, Albert Wesker."

"Axel, just Axel," Axel smirks as they shake hands. "And this is Kai." She waves and smiles at Albert.

"I suppose that both of you already know Anita?" Albert mentions nervously.

"Yes," Kai replies. "And if you hurt her, Axel will send the ELA to beat your ass." Axel laughs at the idea but nods in acknowledgment.

"I will keep that in mind." Albert smiles nervously.

"And you should also watch your back, American tourists don't fare well around these parts."

"I am not the typical American."

Axel and Albert make conversation and seem to strike a common ground. Kai and I are discussing our days and how wonderful it is that Axel has grown to like Albert. Eventually our conversation decreases in volume and centers around Axel and how much Kai loves him. She really does love him, but how would she know for sure that she is more than just a whore to him? Well, there are easier ways to tell, but Axel has asked me how much she thinks of him and has told me that he is working on a proposal which is wonderful for her. She deserves the best. Albert smiles at me, and I find myself acting foolishly and blushing. I thought I had learned my lesson, but it seems that it is too easy to fall for old tricks.

~FromPrussiaWithLove.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

Albert holds my hand walks shamelessly beside me. Why – how could he care for a woman like me? Today must be the fifth day that he has come to see me and spend time with me rather than time with reasonable, proper company. He kisses me gently, which is a foreign notion to me. His hands rest on my waist and comfortingly massage my sides. He looks me straight in the eye without a single hesitation, and I can see another woman peering out at me and understand. I won't take him away from you; he is hers. He pulls away; his hand rests on my cheek. He never looks away from my eyes.

"Come with me to America." He asks pleadingly, and I just stare at him in pure amazement.

"Albert, I honestly cannot tell when you are kidding sometimes."

"I am dead serious." He never looks away.

"But how? It's easier said than done. I can't leave. If I go with you, who is to say that we won't just have sex, and you'll want me gone? I can't risk that." I sit on the bed across from him and twiddle my thumbs in my lap. "Besides, you love someone else; I can see it in your eyes." I stare at my hands. He begins to walk over and kneel onto his knee.

"Sex?" He looks up at me. "I would never leave you."

"Says the man that I met a few days ago." He hesitates a bit while forming a reply.

"It does not matter how long we have known each other but how long we spend together." He leans up and presses his lips against mine. I pull his shirt, and he complies by slowly standing and leaning his weight against me.

"Prove it. Prove to me that it won't just be one time and back to Edonia." He rests his forehead against mine.

"Anything for you," he whispers into my ear. He smoothly unzips my boots and slides my knee-high socks down my calf, off of my feet. His lips catch mine as his hand slides under my shirt. My fingers fumble with his shirt buttons, which is kind of a surprise for me. I've unbuttoned so many shirts on so many different men, so why am I nervous with Albert? He assertively kisses my neck over and over, clouding my mind. His shirt is unbuttoned, and he slides his arms out effortlessly quick. The shirt flutters back onto the bed. His hands slide my shirt up to my chest. His eyes are clouded, but instead of the lust that I expect, I find something I've honestly never seen before. I lift my back up to pull the shirt off from over my head. He kisses down to the center of my chest, peppering in a few licks here and there. My hands fiddle with his belt buckle, and he growls involuntarily. Buttons soon follow the belt buckle, and when both attributes are undone, his pants hang loosely around his hips. He kicks off his pants effortlessly.

"Albert," I look him in the eye, and he kisses me.

"You are beautiful." He breathes into my ear, causing a shiver to run down my back. My eyes wander about his chest. His skin is taut over his lean muscle, and you can see every ripple of ever moment through his skin. His hands unhook my bra's clasp, and the under-wire support loosens and is soon removed. I am exposed to this almost complete stranger, and I've never felt so _free_. He is gentle but continues to hint at an aggressive side. I await his loss of control and try to prepare for the pain that follows. He continues to play the wolf in sheep's clothing. His fingertips ghost over my breasts, causing slight goosebumps to rise against my skin. His left hand rests on my stomach as his other slowly slides up my skirt; as if he thought better of it, he removes the skirt entirely. My hands rest on the elastic band of his boxer-briefs. "So beautiful." He whispers as he rests his forehead on the pillow next to me. His hands naturally slide my panties off and spread my legs, and his lips nip gently at the joint between my neck and my shoulder.

"You don't have to compliment me, you know?" My hands run through his hair. He chuckles, and I can feel the vibrations against my skin. I kiss his neck kindly. "I was already going to sleep with you anyway." His hips press against my thighs.

"I cannot stop myself from complimenting a beautiful woman." His body hovers over mine, and my hands slide his boxer-briefs down. I find it unfair that I am the only one completely nude at the moment. He pulls away to slip the underwear off; it is only a few seconds before he is back and kissing my neck. He begins to move lower with his mouth, from my mouth to my collarbone, from my chest to my navel. My body is on fire which is particularly odd because Edonia is fairly cold, and his fingers leave the feeling of shots of electricity against my skin. His hands spread my thighs as he kneels off of the bed on the floor; his head is level with the bed. A blush flushes my face as I anticipate his actions, and his fingers feel almost freezing against my skin.

"I'm the one who's supposed to be pleasing _you_; it is my job after all." I remark as I sit up and grab a hold of his hand. He shakes his head with a smile on his face.

"I prefer this; if anyone needs pleasing, it is you." I gasp when he slides his fingers inside of me. He kisses my thighs, and I find myself lifting my hips to meet his thrusts. I want connection, anything; my hand rests against his hair. His breathing grows short, impatient. To my displeasure, he pulls away and climbs back onto the bed, hovering over me once again.

"Albert," he looks me in the eye as his hips inch ever closer to mine, and my arms naturally wrap around his neck as his lips capture mine. Funny, I've done this so much, but this is so much _different._ He inches his way into me; my fingers press into his back. I want him to hold me, and I don't know why. My hips meet his, and his breath ghosts over my skin. His lips connect with my neck as his hips begin to move, and I find no need to hold back my moans. I want him to hear them, and I don't know why this is so different.

"Anita," he whispers heavily in my ear. His hand cups the side of my face, and he presses his forehead to mine. I kiss him; I don't want him to let me go. His hands support his body and press into and grabbing the sheets. He tries to control himself and seems to do quite well at it. A growl slips from his lips. My hands try to grip his shoulders, but his muscles flex over and over in rhythmic precision, making it hard to get a hold on them. Eventually, I get my hold and attempt to roll him over. "Hmmm?" He smirks as I settle atop him.

"I please people for a living, Albert." I take a second to catch my breath. "Let me do my job." I laugh lightly, and his hands rest on my hips. I begin to do my job and lean down to kiss him; his hands move up, running over my back. I love his blue eyes and how they are so clear, determined, focused. I love how he touches me, caressing instead of grabbing or clenching. A moan slips out of his lips which greedily capture mine, biting gently due to lust, not intentions of swollen lips.

"You are so beautiful." His hands wander back to my hips and press deeper into my skin, and I can feel that he is about to finish. He lets out a groan, and his essence is evident. His hand strokes my cheek, and those blue eyes of his contain a new found love. The woman who used to reside there is gone.

–iii–

"Albert," I rest my head against his chest, and he holds me close with his right arm.

"Yes, Anita?" He looks at me.

"Now is the time that you tell me you want to leave." The words just flew out of my mouth; I am so used to men making false promises until all is said and done. And I return to just being a play-thing.

"What?" He looks at me with a look of pure perplexity. "Who said I was leaving?"

"Because," I sit up, staring at the wall. "That's what men do." His hand runs up my back in a comforting gesture.

"Anita," his tone is filled with concern.

"I'm used to it." The room is cold, and my arms wrap around my chest for warmth. His arms wrap around my body.

"You do not have to be." He whispers in my ear.

"But I am." He kisses my neck.

"Please, do not –"

"It's what I am, Albert; I can't do anything about it." Please, just leave.

"You can get away from it all."

"It's a blissful dream."

"No, it is a reality." He kisses me. "Come to America with me, please."

"Why? I can lose everything."

"You deserve better than this, and I will not let that happen." He pauses. "I swear on my life."

"I wish it were that easy." I smile.

"It can be."

"No, I do not have the right to leave here." He never lets go. "Madame Anya owns me."

"Well, then I will pay your expenses."

"Why?"

"Because you are an extraordinary young woman."

"I could never have someone do that."

"Why does she own you?"

"It's nothing." I slip out of bed and get dressed. "You should go."

"Anita, –"

"You don't have to pay." I slip on my boots and walk out the door. My feet bring me to the lounge. I open the door and walk over to the couch. Jana is there too.

"Crying again?" She sneers. "Geez, I wish you would stop being such a whiner."

"Sorry," I wipe my eyes; I didn't even know I was crying.

"So who's that one tourist? He's sexy." She remarks as she fixes up her make up. "Can I play around with him? We all know you're getting nowhere."

"Sure," Maybe Jana would be better for him.

–iii–

Thomas used to kiss me like I mattered, but his love soon became disgust. I don't want Albert to be the same; I'm afraid. A knock reverberates from my door, but I don't want to open it.

"Anita, please, open the door." Albert, why must you waste your time? "Please, I did not mean to hurt you." I can hear him lean against the door. "Anita."

"Albert," I reply even though I know he cannot hear me.

"I love you." I crack the door open, so he can see my face.

"Please, find someone else; I'm not who you want." I push the door closed, but he holds it open with his hand.

"I do not want anyone else."

"Someone else will be better. I am a whore, a play-thing, something to be ashamed of. You don't want me." _"You are absolutely revolting, and to think that I _actually_ cared for you!" _ Please, just leave.

~FromPrussiaWithLove.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

**Warning:** Spoiler for "Why Power Is A Must."

My hand turns the key to my apartment, the revolting dump. I close the door behind me as I slip inside the dark one room. I can hear the neighbors yelling at each other again, so-and-so cheated on so-and-so _again_. I shuffle around the apartment, patting the wall for the light switch; my cheap apartment is illuminated. The paint is peeling off one of the walls, and the mattress is on the floor, no box-spring. I meander over to the refrigerator, open it, and pull out a bottle of water. I open it, take a sip, and place it on the counter as I walk over to the bathroom. I subconsciously set the shower to run at the perfect temperature, just a bit hotter than too hot. I simply drop my clothes on the floor and step into the shower. The scalding water soothes all of my senses. I close my eyes, allowing the water to envelope me with steam and water. My mind creates a realistic scenario of a memory. My senses sync up with my mind and reminisce on happier times. My skin feels the fond impression of his hands on my waist and his head on my shoulder. He whispers my name into my ear. I shake my head dispelling worthless memories.

"It's time to give up and say good-bye; wouldn't you agree, Thomas?" I question the shower wall in front of me. My eyes drift over silvery scars that should have been long forgotten, and yet, they still remain.

–iv–

My bed greets me with warm arms. I pull the layered sheets up to my chin and rest my head against the pillow. My neighbors are still fighting with their spouses, except for one couple, who have no idea how to have sex without everyone else knowing. I reluctantly slip out of bed to grab my water bottle. The frigid air bites at my exposed legs and arms as I rush back to my bed's warm embrace. I take another sip of water, lie down, and stare at the moon through the sky-light windows on the chapel-shaped ceiling. Kai wasn't at work today, but I assumed that she would be spending the day with Axel. He probably paid for the day; he does that a lot. He's got the money to spare. Work. I close my eyes in an attempt to sleep, but Albert keeps resurfacing on my mind. His blue eyes locking with mine as his hands run up and down my sides. I want him to stay with me. _But you know he never will because you're disgusting, repulsive..._ The phone rings, and I hesitate to answer it, seeing how most of my calls consist of accusations that I _wish_ were false. My hand brushes against the plastic of the phone; I inhale sharply, preparing for the worst, and answer the phone.

"Anita?" The voice catches me off guard.

"Axel?" He truly worries me.

"Kai said you were upset, and I wanted to make sure Mr. America didn't try any funny shit because you know I can kick his shit in." I would hate to see how he would react to a boy trying to take his daughter out on a date, and I say daughter because Kai is determined to have a girl because they're 'just plain better.'

"No, he is really kind and treats me with amazing respect; it is refreshing compared to my everyday life." There's a long, drawn out pause. "You really shouldn't worry about me that much."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"You have your friends and Kai to worry about." I sit on the mattress and trace circles on the comforter.

"Bullshit, yes, I have to keep an eye out for all of them, but you are my little sister. Why the hell would I place ELA shit in front of you?"

"Axel, you really don't have to worry because I'm only a few minutes younger."

"Still little."

"Axel Luka Muller, shut your mouth." He laughs on the other end.

"Just be careful, please?"

"I swear; now, where do I sign the papers to give you my soul?" He laughs even more.

–iv–

Niklas Schulz is a common customer around here. He stands at the door; his brown eyes dig into my skin as he approaches me from the door. A smirk pulls at his lips. I won't say that he's _not_ an attractive man, but he _is_ harsh. His hands fall onto the small of my back as he pulls me forward into a kiss. He pushes me against the bed; Niklas is the kind of man that you should always take precaution with. He is erratic and spontaneous, and once he gets into it, there's no way to get him to stop.

There is a strategy in this job. Well, two strategies, you can love the job and enjoy its many _perks_, or you can pretend that you're not where you are that you're somewhere else or with someone you truly care about. My mind can escape to wherever it chooses, and it's probably the most freedom I will get in a long time. My eyes slide shut to further my imagination, but to my surprise, I find myself mentally recreating yesterday. Schulz is replaced with Albert, and a smile finds its way to my lips. Somehow, this man I've known for only a handful of days can put me at peace. However, Schulz is no Albert Wesker. Schulz is violent, especially with women. My illusion holds true, and I am content with my life. I close my eyes and rest my head on the pillow. When my eyes open, I notice that the door is open, and this intrigues me beyond any apparent reason. I watch Jana pass by the room with a customer; her customer turns towards the open door, clearly intrigued as much as I. His eyes meet mine, and my breathing stops. Albert. I want him to turn away, but how selfish am I? Then, he does the unusual. He opens the door, rushes towards the bed, and grabs Niklas by the neck.

"Look man, I pay my way, and you look the other." Niklas hisses.

"Leave her alone." Albert snaps.

"Have you seen her? She's a slut and not your average one at that. She knows how to drink you dry and beg for more." Niklas smirks in my direction, and without a moment's hesitation, Albert's fist makes harsh contact with Niklas' cheek.

"I said –"

"Albert, please leave." Albert stares at me with pure bewilderment. "Please." His gaze drops to the floor as he leaves the room.

"_You_," Niklas hisses. "How am I going to explain this to my coworkers?! I work in government, so you know that my appearance is a hell of a lot more important than yours!"

"I'm sorry." He raises his hand, and his hand makes angry contact with my cheek.

"Not sorry enough, it would seem." He grabs his money off of the table. "Not worth a single cent." He gets dressed and makes his way out the door. My cheek burns a bit, but my own dignity, or whatever was left of it, is indefinitely shattered. My hand wipes at my eyes, and I'm so tired of crying. The door is still open, but who cares? Like he said, I'm a slut who doesn't deserve privacy. I pull the royal blue sheets over my head as I hide away in a makeshift sanctuary. A knock resonates through the door.

"Anita," I can feel the bed dip under his weight. "You can come out; the door is closed."

"I wasn't afraid of the open door." I snap in an unfairly harsh manner.

"I am sorry." His hand hesitantly rests on my shoulder.

"I _still_ don't get it; why me?" He slowly pulls the covers away from my face.

"Because you are an amazingly beautiful woman." He presses his lips to mine.

"I'm not happy, you know?" His blue eyes drop to the ground. "I'm not happy with all of this, this lifestyle."

"Who could blame you?" A solemn smile graces his lips.

"Everyone, I ruin marriages and families."

"False, you have not ruined anything of mine, and I have no reason to blame you for anything."

"Albert, I –" He kisses me and pulls me into his arms.

"You do not need reasons and excuses to deter me because I cannot be deterred from you. You are beautiful."

"Albert."

"I do not want to leave you here with this sort of life, so please come with me." His eyes beg for me to agree. _"I have a great idea; Anita, let's run away together. They'll never be able to pull us apart __then!"_

"I don't want you to waste your time on the likes of me."

"What if I want to waste my damn time?" His eyes narrow in inquisition. "Why do you keep pushing me away when it is obvious that you want someone to be closer to you?"

"I was tricked before, and look where that got me! You want pure honesty? I'm afraid." His hand affectionately cups my cheek. "I can't do it all again. I'm stupid and naïve."

"Shhh," he whispers in my ear. "You are perfect, and you are hesitant about strangers like me. What makes you think you are naïve? You made sure that I would not leave after a one night stand. Anita, if only the world could see how strong and amazing you truly are."

"Why don't you get it?! Especially after walking in on _that_, I'm a whore who gives men whatever the fuck they want for whatever price the madame says; I'm a _thing_. When does anyone love an object?!"

"I think you just need someone to show you that you are human that you need to be loved." He rests his head on my shoulder. "Not everyone is like that asshole that hurt you. I cannot force you to believe me, but I swear on my life that there are better people in the world. I hope that I can be the one to prove that to you."

"Why do you have to be so kind?" He chuckles.

"I met a girl who changed my outlook on life." He kisses my cheek.

–iv–

I wake up as the sun makes its trek up the horizon towards the sky. I feel an arm around my waist, and I follow it towards its body. Oh, right, I fell asleep. Albert sits up and yawns. He smiles sleepily. Oh, right, he stayed the night.

"Hey," his smile disappears. "Today is my last day here, so I need to know if you are coming or not?" I stare at him for a decent while before it settles in. This man has made me happier than I've been in years, and he's offering to take me away from this godforsaken country.

"Yes," I kiss him, and if I am to be wrong, than I will pay the price yet again. But for now, I just want to be happy again. There I go with my wants. He stares at me blankly.

"I know that today is April first, but seriously, are you coming or not?"

"Yes, I would love to."

–iv–

Who knew that it would turn out the way it did?

**A/N:** Happy Easter, and technically, this story spoils the other one on the occasional mystery. This just so happens to be a spoiler, but maybe you like that and understand the other one better because of this. Either way, I hope your holiday season was relaxing and refreshing, and I am very thankful [even though it's not _that_ time of year for another seven months] for everyone's support and helpful criticism. Now, I will stop ranting and bid you good-day.

~FromPrussiaWithLove.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5.**

The flight is in the evening because Albert must go and finish some work in Edonia, and he tells me not to worry about paperwork, citizenship, my ticket, or my passport. He tells me to worry about packing the necessities. We part our ways, and he promises to meet me outside my apartment at six. He gives me his watch as assurance, and then, he leaves to finish his work. I quickly finish packing my necessities and begin working on a more important issue: Axel. I dial his number, hoping that he'll pick up.

"Hello," he answers monotonously.

"Axel," a smile finds its way to my face.

"Anita," he sighs out of relief.

"Are you busy today?"

"Not that I know of, why?"

"I'd like to spend the day with you."

"That's a first."

"Can't I spend the day with my brother? Plus, there's a first time for everything."

"You spend days with me all the time, but Kai's normally with us. She has to _work_ today..."

"It'd be nice if it was just the two of us, if you don't mind..."

"I'll pick you up in a bit." He hangs up before I can reply.

–v–

A knock resonates throughout my apartment when Axel arrives. I open the door and am reminded of how much taller he is. He has a weak smile on his lips, and his maroon tinted, brunette hair is tousled from repetitive motions of his hands running through it. His blazer accentuates his shoulders, and perhaps my most favorite, his eyes are still that lively blue-green regardless of the secrets they guard. I follow him out to the car, thinking of how I could possibly tell him that I want to leave. He starts the car without a single word and begins driving. I've never really paid any attention to how he drives since I was always talking to Kai, but he drives with a concentration on the road that is unparalleled by anyone I've ever known. I stare out the windshield, trying to see what he sees and understand how he feels behind the wheel. Something clicks in my brain when we exit the city and are surrounded by open fields and trees. His grip on the steering wheel tightens, and his face – possibly unintentionally – contorts into something of anguish.

After an hour and half an hour of speeding, he hits the brakes and parks the car. I look out the window, and there it is, the house we grew up in. Our family was affluent to say the least; Axel and I never knew how our father struck a fortune and were taught not to ask but enjoy. Axel was a genius, excelled in math and science and knew quite a bit of history. He taught himself guitar because I would aways complain about how boring piano was, and he would play music with me. But back to the point, our family was of the higher end of society, so there was much to be expected of us. Our father took Axel out to teach him the way of business, but I wasn't allowed to leave unless it was of the utmost importance. So I was able to attend school with Axel. School was where I met Thomas and where Axel met Lydia. _'You're young and carefree; what would you understand about relationships?' 'He's the son of a drunkard, and she's the daughter of a drug addict. Our family cannot be seen with the likes of them.' _Axel swore after he lost Lydia that he would never come back here, yet here he stands beside the mailbox.

"I loved her," he informs; his voice is shaking. "But they were right; she used me for money. And look what I did to you, telling you to go pursue your dreams regardless of what others say. Look where I got you."

"You can't blame yourself." I touch his arm gently. "I made my own decisions, you know."

"When I ran away from home, I should have known that they would have gotten harder on you, but I left anyway. I should have been there for you."

"I made my own decisions, and I am to blame for the Thomas situation. I thought he loved me, but they were right because I didn't know the first thing about what real love was."

"But –"

"Enough about what has happened, we should talk about now."

"Why? What's wrong with now?" He seems confused and concerned.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you today because I'm going."

"Going where?"

"America."

"With that tourist guy? I thought you learned what happened when you run away with men who swear they love you!" My hand clutches Albert's watch in my pocket. Is this another trap?

"But he swears that this is different."

"Every man will swear that he's different!"

"And so did _you_! _You_ swore you were different when you met Kai! You swore that you would not let everything go to shit again! So why can't I just take up this man on his offer?!"

"Because I don't want you to end up like this again."

"Could it get worse than this?! No! Axel, he's offering me a chance to leave this all behind."

"I worry about you."

"You always will, and I'll always worry about you."

"Please, don't –"

"I am, but I'll write you as often as possible. So don't worry. If anything goes wrong, I'll come right back to you."

"Did you tell Kai?"

"You should propose to her; she loves you more than anything."

"Did you tell her?"

"Funny, she would never guess that we were related, even after so long. I mean we're twins, Axel, _twins_."

"Did you tell her, Anita?"

"I'm afraid that I'll miss you too much. I can't tell her because I'm a horrible person. I want her to be happy when you ask her to marry you, and I have no intention of messing that up."

"Why do you do this to yourself?" His eyes narrow along with his interrogative tone.

"Do what?" I feign confusion.

"You pretend that you wreck everything when everyone else ruins your life. It makes me wonder if you're just going to America with this guy to punish yourself for the first time you ran away." He stops. "Does he know? Does he know that you have consistently poor health? Does he know how to deal with what mental illnesses you could develop? Does he understand why he needs to take care of you more than anything else in his life?"

"I could say the same about you and Kai." He laughs in a kind manner.

"I don't know to be honest."

"Well, I don't know either." He pulls me into a hug.

"I'm going to miss you."

"I know you will."

–v–

Albert is waiting at my apartment as promised; his eyebrow arches in suspicion when he watches me emerge from a car driven by another man. I make my way up the stairs, hand him his watch, and give his hand a light squeeze to reassure him that I was only in the car for a ride. He procures an American passport out of his pocket. I assume that it is his and that he is reminding me that I still need one, but he hands it to me as he replaces his watch on his wrist. His eyes tell me to open it, so I do. The passport is for 'Anita Jessika Muller' with a stamp marking my trip to Edonia, making it obvious that I would need to return to the States. He holds up the plane ticket as well.

"I couldn't possibly take this kind of money from you." I note, regretting ever taking him up on the offer.

"It is nothing; I just called in a few favors. So do not worry." He assures.

"So, shall we go?" He nods, taking my hand in his as we walk towards his taxi. He notices the ring on my ring finger and begins to act a bit strange. "It's from my brother as a 'remember me' gift."

"Oh," he picks up my simple bag of minimal needs. I left Axel the key to my apartment if he wanted to pick up any of my pictures. We sit in the back of the taxi. "The airport," he instructs the driver. I lean away from him in case he wants his space, but he puts his arm around my waist. A smile is on his face. Maybe I should be concerned by the amount of money he has and where he gets it, but it would be hypocritical to judge him because Axel is part of the ELA, taking money and vandalizing the government.

"Where do you work?" He seems taken aback by this question for a second.

"I'm one of the main researchers in a pharmaceutical company."

"Hmmm, a scientist, that's nice."

"I'm glad you think so."

The airport is huge, but perhaps I only think this because I've never been here before in my entire life. We enter gate 'N,' and at this gate alone there's one hundred fifty different check-in areas, marketing five different flight companies. The situation itself is a bit overwhelming, but Albert falls right into routine bringing all the bags to a desk to check them in to be put on the plane as cargo. The woman loads the bags onto a conveyor belt to send them to the correct plane. We walk down a hall into a lobby that is filled with concessions, souvenir, and newspaper vendors. We walk straight to a long line to go through security. Albert slips off his jacket in preparation for the security check, and I follow suit. When we get up to the security check, they ask that we remove our shoes, belts, and whatever is in our pockets and to put all that content into a box. They frisk everyone and then tell them to walk through the metal detector gate. Once they pass the tests, people recollect their belongings out of the boxes and walk over the waiting area of the loading gate.

"You said you were one of the main scientists at your work. Who else is there?" I ask, trying to pass the time.

"Well, there is only Birkin. I think he would like you." He laughs to himself.

"You only have one coworker?"

"Well, not many people know how to do what we do."

"And what exactly do you do?"

"Tests and experiments to show the potential side effects and strengths of given substances against disease or sickness. It is a pharmaceutical company after all."

"Right."

The attendant calls our flight and ushers us to the gate, which is like a makeshift hallway to the plane. Albert holds my hand as we enter the plane and search for our given seats. We sit next to each other; Albert begins to read a newspaper that he bought at a stand after security check. I stare out the window. To think that I'll be leaving Edonia for the first time by plane. So many firsts. Surprisingly, since I've been told flights are always relentlessly delayed, the flight takes off as scheduled without any delays. The pilot introduces himself and assures a nice flight. It doesn't take long for Albert to fall asleep with his newspaper in hand and his head against my shoulder. I guess today was a long day for him as well. The flight is supposed to take approximately twelve and a half hours, so it seems to be a long trek ahead of us and that Albert has the right idea. His breathing is shallow, but his facial expression looks upset, stressed. I caress his hand, trying to get him to calm down, but instead, he wakes up. He looks around, and everyone else is sleeping. His hands cups my cheek, and he kisses me.

"Did you have a bad dream?" I ask quietly.

"There is no such thing as a bad dream, but I did indeed have a nice nightmare." He informs.

"Tell me about it; it may help."

"It probably will not." He wouldn't ever tell me these things.

~FromPrussiaWithLove.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6.**

Albert's apartment has a balcony. He is in the shower, so I fill a glass with water, make my way out onto the balcony, and sit on the cement ground of the balcony. The sun is setting; the happenings of today are unbelievable. Yesterday I was in Edonia, and today, I'm here in America, beginning a life with a man who I've just met a week ago. The airport was an overwhelming scene from exiting the plane to baggage claim to losing sight of Albert for twenty minutes. Within those twenty minutes, I was recognized by someone, someone I'd rather not see again. _"Anita?"_ He called me beautiful and put up a facade that he was a gentleman and really cared, but his eyes betrayed him, revealing who he really was. He grabbed my wrist, trying to keep my attention, but I wanted nothing to do with him. He let go when Albert wormed through the crowd. The balcony faces west, and I am presented with a beautiful view of the sunset. A door shuts, and I can hear Albert's footsteps across the floor of the apartment. He sits next to me with his towel hanging around his neck and a pair of pajama pants hanging around his hips.

"It's beautiful." I remark simply.

"Who was that man at the airport?" He asks unfazed.

"He mixed me up with someone else." I lie. Why am I already lying to him?

"Oh, okay, yeah, the sunset is nice from here." My eyes wander over to him.

"Tell me something about yourself." He clenches his jaw for a split second and sighs.

"I do not know my birth date, my birth parents, or where I was born. I do not have much to offer; I apologize."

"You've already done more than enough; I should apologize for prying." I stare at my hands with awkward silence induced wonder.

"No, it is not a problem for you to know. I grew up in multiple foster homes; being a foster child, I was never really appreciated. Foster parents always love their own children more than their foster children, so I studied. I had to make myself noticeable somehow. So they knew who I was, so I would matter." He looks at the sunset. "It is selfish; I know."

"No, it's not bad. In fact, I have an idea." I pause for some sort of effect. "Let's celebrate your birthday tomorrow. I can make dinner and a cake." I smile.

"No, you should not have to do that for me." He stares at the cement.

"It's the least I could do."

"You will not allow me the option to say 'no,' will you?" He chuckles.

"I will, but I would prefer that you say yes. It's always up to you though." I don't know where to look at the current moment, so I continue to stare at my hands.

"Anything for you." He smiles. "In other words, yes."

–vi–

Due to the difference in time zones, I awake at four in the morning. The bed is empty, and my curiosity obtains the better of me as I stretch my arms and legs. Albert is asleep on the couch; I wonder when he moved out here. He sighs as he picks himself up off of the couch. I sit on the couch by his legs. He runs his hand through his hair, lifting it away from his face. He yawns and inspects his surroundings. He stretches his back and is greeted by by cracking of stiff joints. He smiles sleepily.

"Good morning," he greets; his voice is groggy.

"You slept out here last night?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

"Yes, I was reviewing some of my notes and research papers before I return to work today." He nods towards the manila folder on the coffee table.

"Oh, well, happy birthday!" I remind him, and he seems a bit confused but then, remembers.

"You really don't have to – "

"I want to."

"Take this for groceries," he hands me three twenty dollar bills. "And no, you cannot refuse this." He smirks.

"If that's what you wish for on _your_ birthday." He chuckles and kisses me.

"I want whatever you want."

–vi–

Albert informed me that he would be home late because he works extensive hours. I watch him get ready from the bedroom. He buttons up a cream colored, crisply ironed shirt; pulls on a pair of pressed, black pants; buckles his brown leather belt; slicks his hair back with a small drop of hair gel; and ties a simple, navy-blue tie around his neck. He walks out into the living room area, places his manila folder into a black satchel, and walks back into the room to get his shoes; to his routine, I don't exist. He stops to recollect himself before he leaves. I stand up from the bed, acquire his attention as I walk towards him, and fix his tie. He has tied it crookedly, so I smooth out the wrinkles in the knot. He smiles, remembering that he's not alone here. I kiss his cheek as he heads towards the door. I told him not to worry about me and that I can find my way around. He relentlessly walks out through the door, reminding me that I am allowed to use whatever within reason. He specifically implied using the phone by simply saying 'call him.' He knows that Axel is important to me. I thank him again for being so kind, and he heads out to work. Speaking of calling people, I decide to call Kai to tell her why I left. I pick up the phone and dial her phone number. The dial tone rings a few times, and then an answer breaks the monotony of the dial tones.

"Hello?" I never thought that I'd miss her this soon.

"Kai! It's Anita!" I didn't know I was this excited.

"Oh, I have _amazing_ news!" She informs with an ecstatic tone.

"Tell me all about it." A smile pulls at my lips.

"Axel proposed to me with the most beautiful ring I've ever seen!" She squeals, and the only time I've heard her like this was when he asked her out for the first time.

"I _told_ you he would." She laughs.

"By the way, where have you been? I came by your apartment, and it was empty. I stopped by Madame Anya, and she said you haven't come in yet. But she also said, she's sick of you being late. Oh, and I told her I wasn't coming back." She sounds so happy; I sigh, hating that I have to ruin her moment.

"I...um...I left yesterday..." I whisper into the receiver, hoping that she heard it.

"Left for where?" She's so oblivious.

"Well, Albert offered to take me to America, so I thought 'what the hell' and came here." I feel like a terrible person.

"By 'here,' you mean America. Does Axel know you left?" I nod as if she can see me, and she assumes that I confirmed her statement. "Why would you do that? You only met him a week or two ago. He could be dangerous."

"I took a chance; he's been nothing but kind." Everyone has the need to tell me what I'm doing wrong...

"I wish you would have told me before you left – in person, but if Axel didn't trust this 'Albert,' he wouldn't have let you go. So I can hope the best for you because you're my best friend and like a sister to me, so I want you to be happy even though I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, and you always know that I wish you the best." There's a long pause. "I also know that Axel is a lucky man, and you're going to look drop-dead gorgeous for your wedding." She laughs. I can see her wiping the tears from her eyes; she's beautiful and always will be.

"You have to visit some time, promise?"

"I'll try."

"Oh, I have to go, sorry." The line goes dead before I can respond. I walk back into the bedroom to rummage through my bag and get dressed. I walk into the bathroom with my bag of supplies. I loosely braid my hair, apply simple makeup, and get ready for the grocery store.

–vi–

I brought all my money from Edonia, but I don't think it's worth all that much, exchange rates and all. However, I find it paramount that I at least get Albert some sort of gift, so with groceries in hand, I window shop as I walk back to the apartment. All the shops here are non-chain, novelty shops. I consider getting him an intricately designed, silver pocket watch, but I remember that Albert has a watch, meaning buying him a pocket watch would not only be redundant but also useless. I continue looking and find myself staring at a sunglasses shop. I remember watching him irritably shield his eyes from the sun, so perhaps buying him something as simple as sunglasses would fare well for him or least useful in some sort. I walk back to the apartment first to put away groceries, and when I finish, I rush back out to the sunglasses shop to look for a fitting pair for Albert. There are so many different frames and lenses, from gradient tinted with every color of the rainbow to solid black and from thin frames to frames that make one look like an alien. Knowing Albert – as little as I know – he would want something simplistic, professional, so I choose a pair of black sunglasses with a reflective finish. The frames are basic, like a pair of glasses. The exchange rate is three US dollars for every four Edo which isn't that bad. The sunglasses cost twenty-eight and a half Edo which isn't all that bad, and it's the least I could do for Albert. The clerk places the sunglasses and some tissue paper safely into a bag that sports the shop's name. I say my thanks and head back to the apartment to make dinner and dessert.

–vi–

With timing correct, I finish preparing the food at six-thirty, but Albert doesn't return until an hour later. He asks me how my day was; I answer and ask him the same thing. He says dinner is great, and the cake is possibly even better; I tell him that it's not that special and happy birthday. He laughs. I hand him the bag containing his present. He says he can't accept it, even though he doesn't know what it is. He reluctantly opens it.

"It's not much, but I remembered you wanted something to shield your eyes." I quietly explain.

"Thank you," he smiles as he places them on his face.

"Well, don't you look professional?" I kiss him.

"I aim to please." He takes off the sunglasses. "But we all know it is pretty douche-like to wear these inside like this."

"Albert."

"Anita."

"I can never repay you for all the things you've done for me."

"I never wanted anything from you in reimbursement." His hands rest on my waist. "All I want is nothing more than you."

"Oh really?"

"Of course," he smirks. "I swear on my life."

–vi–

I wake up alone; the clock reads five-forty. Albert must have gone to work. Seeing Thomas again after this handful of years was hard, regardless of how long the encounter really was. The way he was looking at me sent chills up my spine. Did he think that I would just fall for him again? After everything he's done, he thinks that I'll just forget all of it and go back with him. Would he risk it even after Axel hunted him down and threatened him. Maybe I'm being narcissistic, thinking that he wanted me in any way; maybe he just wanted to say 'hi' and know how I was doing. No matter the reason, I don't want to see him again.

**A/N:** I apologize for the prolonged wait for an update.

~FromPrussiaWithLove.


End file.
